Word Origin & History

hot O.E. hat "hot, opposite of cold," also "fervent, fierce," from P.Gmc. *haitoz (cf. O.Fris. het, O.N. heitr, Du. heet, Ger. heiß "hot," Goth. heito "heat of a fever"), from PIE base *qai- (cf. Lith. kaistu "to grow hot"), the same root as that of heat. Taste sense of "pungent, acrid, biting" is from 1548. Sense of "exciting, remarkable, very good" is 1895; that of "stolen" is first recorded 1925 (originally with overtones of "easily identified and difficult to dispose of"); that of "radioactive" is from 1942. Hot air "unsubstantiated statements, boastful talk" is from 1900. Hot potato ...in figurative sense is from 1846. Hot-blooded "passionate" (1598) is a relic of medieval physiology theory. The association of hot with sexuality dates back to 1500. Hot rod first recorded 1945 in Amer.Eng.; hot water "trouble" is from 1537. The hot and cold in hide-and-seek or guessing games are from hunting (1648), with notion of tracking a scent. Hot spot "night club" first recorded 1931. Hotshot "important person" is from 1933; it earlier meant "fast train" (1925).